Individual
by MidnightEmber
Summary: Harry is tired of everything but most of all he's tired of hearing about his likeness to James Potter. All he wants to do is forget, all he wants to do is sleep, so he slips into darkness.
1. Chapter 1

**~ Individual ~**

**Summary:** Harry is tired of everything but most of all he's tired of hearing about his likeness to James Potter. All he wants to do is forget, all he wants to do is sleep, so he slips into darkness.

**Warning:** Slash, violence, Order bashing

**Pairings:** Severus/Harry

**Disclaimer:** As much as I plead, Harry Potter is never going to belong to me.

**Legend:**

'thoughts'

_~ Parseltongue ~_

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><p><strong>~ Chapter One ~<strong>

Harry Potter was sitting in the Astronomy Tower. A cool breeze blew over him as he stared out at the stars and lost himself to the infinity that lay beyond. On occasion he wondered what it would be like to just float amongst the stars and never return. But his life was here and here he would always be forced to remain what with his status. Yet this place, this one location, was his only reprieve from it all.

The Astronomy Tower was the only location where he could run away from all the pressure the world as mounting upon him. It was the one location where he could be alone with his thoughts, the one location where he could be himself without anyone to judge him for it.

No one would ever think to look for him here. Many believed it was a location reserved for couples looking for a good place to snog where no one would disturb them. That was a lie. Couples avoided the Astronomy Tower like the plague. This location in particular was believed to be searched frequently by the professors. Yet that was another lie.

The professors never searched the Tower because they knew students no longer went there. Instead they searched the lower levels of the castle. It was a chain of never-ending gossip that worked in Harry's favour. Harry smirked remembering this. That genius idea had been particularly devious of him and not something anyone was likely to link to him especially when no one could pinpoint where he went in the evenings.

A breeze ruffled his hair as he moved away from the ledge once again and leant against one of the walls. Without anyone bothering him, he could sit and think for hours without interruption. To him, it was an absolute bliss that no one could tamper with. That was until a few weeks ago.

Recently all he could ever think about was his father. It wasn't even his fault that he dwelt on this constantly. It was everyone else. Everyone mentioned him. They mentioned how amazing he had been during his schooling. He had been one of the best at Quidditch and one of the top Aurors when in training and out. Then James had married the amazing Lily Evans and started a family. Little Harry, yes Harry would be the spitting image of James with Lily's eyes. He would be the best at everything he attempted… exactly like James.

Those three little words became a poison for Harry. He hated hearing them. It made him feel as if James had left expectations that no one could fulfil. No one would ever be able to beat the great James Potter least of all his son. Of course James never lived to see the remainder of his amazing family and career, something Harry was rather bitterly pleased about.

Yet it was never enough for everyone. His professors began pushing him down the same road James went just to continue seeing the man within the child. Of course it began immediately as he was sorted into Gryffindor which only proved to push them further. Everyone always mentioned James at Hogwarts. Everything Harry was, was because of James Potter. The Headmaster, all of his professors, Sirius, Snape and especially the Order members always compared him to James Potter and it was beginning to drive him insane with hate.

Harry was excellent at Quidditch because James had been good at Quidditch. "The man could have gone pro," was often the comment that followed him. Not that Harry really cared. All of his Defence talent Harry also managed to inherit from his father. After all the man had been the top Auror where else had it come from? Every 'adventure' Harry had stumbled into was all thrown back onto James as well. Never mind that they were mostly due to Voldemort. No one cared about that as long as he was exactly like James.

In the beginning, Harry had been rather proud that he could do something as well as his father. Then it just became repetitive and boring to him. As soon as something Harry was good at was credited to James Potter, he lost interest in it.

This year however had been the worst. With the revival of the Dark Lord everyone was expecting him to be as brave as James Potter and help lead the Order of the Phoenix to victory. Yet they always forgot that he was a child, a child that they kept everything from. How was he meant to defeat a Dark Lord when he was only in his fifth year of schooling? That was when he began the small bouts of rebellion.

Umbridge had believed he would complain when he was banned from playing Quidditch that year. Harry was mentally thanking her. Even when Umbridge had begun her horrible Defence lesson that was nothing more than theory work, Harry didn't complain. He didn't even pose any questions that were certain to get him a detention. The other Gryffindors were alright with this. Ron and Hermione had gone on a huge bitch fest. Yet it was something Sirius had said that had finally brought everything home…

"You are every bit like your father, buck up and teach that woman a lesson!"

It was in that moment that Harry was struck with a sudden realization. He didn't know when it had occurred or even when it had started but in that moment Harry realized he hated his own father more than Voldemort.

"I hate James Potter."

It was uttered in no more than a whisper throughout the Tower but it released so many emotions for Harry. He felt free to believe in that one thought. Hating his own father wasn't exactly the one thing that he believed would allow him to express himself but it had certainly worked. When playing the Gryffindor Golden Boy he felt so held down by everything that he couldn't express his own desires not only to others but to himself. To finally have that freedom was just… he couldn't even find the words. Yet it brought on so many other things that simply weighed down on his heart.

James wasn't the only one he hated, Harry concluded. Everyone who saw him as his father was added to the list beneath James. No one, after all, could top that. Sirius, Snape, all of his professors and the Headmaster were added to the list. Order members were somewhere at the bottom of that list since he hadn't known them for that long. The fact of the matter was they were still present. They still believed what the others spouted, that he was going to save the world and Harry couldn't forgive them for that.

What made this realization even more difficult was Harry didn't know if his friends believed the same as the adults. Did they look at him and imagine James Potter? Had they begun to see more of James in him as the adults started to compare them? It was almost too much for him to handle. They were, after all, all he really had. Friends of Harry Potter were few and far between since Ron and Hermione tended to push those away that approached him. Apart from them, he had no one that he could rely on.

"Who can I trust?" Harry wondered to the night sky.

'_None can be trusted if you have no faith in them…'_

This reply didn't particularly startle Harry. Over the past month, he'd grown used to the voice. It spoke to him and kept him calm. Whenever he needed answers to questions no one else could give, it would be there. Deep down, Harry knew hearing voices wasn't a good thing. After all, he'd been through this before. But if he told someone they would only worry because James had never experienced anything like that before. He was normal, he'd always been normal. Harry however was far from normal and he accepted this.

"True," he replied, "then what am I to do if I can't trust them to help me, to aid me and not the memory of James Potter? If all they ever think about is James Potter than what use am I to them as I am? There is nothing I can do that compares to my father at least not truly in their eyes. I'm just his double."

Originally the voice had only answered his questions with a yes or no. That hadn't been very helpful. He'd finally had someone with whom he could speak with about all of his worries and it had answered everything vaguely. Eventually the voice had begun speaking in sentences until he connected the voice with the person. That realization had been a shock but neither cared any longer. They had each other to lean on when frustrated though miles separated them.

'_Show them that you aren't James Potter. Force them to accept that you are your own person and not a copy.'_

In theory it sounded like a perfect idea. If he could get everyone on the Light side to realize that he wasn't a James Potter clone then he could be himself. He may even have a chance of living through the war. Yet Harry didn't know how he was meant to do so. They weren't merely going to be accepting of his words. That would just be brushed aside as unimportant. He posed his query to Voldemort, the voice within his head.

'_Do you trust me?'_ came the reply.

Harry nodded knowing he could feel the intent behind the movement. Of course he trusted the Dark Lord's words. Nothing the Dark Lord had told him had been a lie. He'd even admitted to what remained within the Department of Mysteries something Dumbledore and the Order wouldn't tell him. Though it had rather shocked him at the time, he didn't care. Voldemort was giving him the truth and that was something no one else deemed him worthy of.

'_Then I shall help you.'_

Before Harry could ask how, his world went black.

x-x-x-x-x

The dungeons were usually such a relaxing place for Severus Snape. He worked his potions down there, one of his proudest achievements. After all he was the youngest person ever to become a Potions Master. None could deny that. All day he waited to return to his rooms where he could either read a Potions Journal or work on a potion. It was what he lived for. Except recently, his life had become surrounded with thoughts of none other than Harry Potter.

This year had been particularly hard for the boy. His friends were keeping secrets from him (not that he was aware of that), Umbridge was attempting to make his life hell and the Dark Lord wanted him dead. It definitely wasn't the life of a normal teenage boy and it certainly wasn't the life he'd been hoping Harry would lead.

Everyone was piling their doubts, frustrations and hopes on the boy. No one was taking into account what Harry wanted nor could they really afford to. They were entrusted with keeping him alive so the boy could defeat the Dark Lord. However that didn't mean that they could treat him like some weapon that could be pushed away when not needed like they'd recently been doing.

The Order was meant to make Harry Potter's life easier not harder. Yet that was all they managed to do. Nothing in Harry's life had become easier this year. It only became harder and now with the Dark Lord feeding him visions no one was sure what they could do.

He had heard that many believed Harry would be capable of doing great things simply by looking at his parents. Severus had even backed up that theory on the odd occasion but telling the boy that he was "exactly like his father." No one had realized it yet except for Severus but those words weren't having the effect they wanted. Instead he seemed to frown and flinch at the words before changing the topic.

Yes, James Potter and the Dark Lord were two subjects Harry refused to speak on even amongst his friends and that was what concerned him. Harry Potter was withdrawing into himself and no one around him could draw him out. Severus could have attempted if he hadn't been so thick-headed a month ago. But that was long past and there was nothing he could really do to fix it without it appearing suspicious.

Severus was really beginning to regret cancelling Harry's Occlumency lessons. Quite honestly he didn't know what to do about this situation. Ever since that day a month ago Harry only seemed to get worse. He'd heard from the other professors that Harry had begun to isolate himself over the past month.

The boy no longer spoke out in class even against Umbridge nor did he seem as enthusiastic to spend his free time messing around with that Weasley. For a normal student Severus wouldn't have been bothered by the sudden change in personality. After all it was moving closer to the OWLS but this was Harry Potter. Harry Potter never had the time to study between saving the school and Quidditch. Yet something drastic had changed within the boy and Severus was willing to blame everything on the Dark Lord.

Voldemort had been sending Harry numerous visions of the same location he desperately wanted to get to. These visions plagued Harry at every turn. Every time he slept, he saw it, the Department of Mysteries. He wandered the corridors searching for something that he didn't even know existed. Thankfully Harry knew nothing of what it was he was searching for. That would have been rather difficult to explain even for Albus Dumbledore.

Even so it was because Severus cancelled their lessons that Harry was exposed more now than ever to Voldemort's manipulations. To make matters worse, Severus didn't even know what these manipulations could be.

It was obvious the Dark Lord was attempting something. Harry's personality change was a testimony to that as everyone could see. Severus merely couldn't tell what the Dark Lord was attempting to do and that was what concerned him the most. If he couldn't predict the Dark Lord's moves then he couldn't protect Harry. Yet he continued to remind himself that Harry, even though a Potter, was smarter than that. Harry Potter wouldn't listen to the Dar Lord's ramblings. He would steer away from the Dark… unlike him.

A hurried knocking echoed around his room. Severus glanced at the clock. It read midnight. Stretching, he wondered idly who could be pounding at his door at that time. Usually everyone was in bed at that time, including him.

"Minerva, what is it?"

Minerva McGonagall looked completely frazzled. Her hair was out of place and she looked as if she'd dressed in a hurry. This was the look of a woman who didn't know what to do and that stirred his curiosity.

"It's Harry Potter, Mr Weasley found him collapsed in the Astronomy Tower after worrying about his disappearance."

Severus could have sworn his heart stopped. That was the last thing he wanted to hear that night. Was it not enough that he worried constantly over his rather poor decision to end the boy's lessons? Did the boy have to cause him such grief constantly? He was meant to protect the boy and yet he was making it rather difficult.

"What has that to do with me?" he finally asked.

"He won't wake Severus. We had Poppy check him for everything but Mr Potter has either trapped himself in his mind or someone has pulled him inside and refuses to release him. No one but you can reach him. If Albus was here things would be different but…"

Severus guilt jumped for bad to worse. Without Albus here things would be even more difficult for them to control. Umbridge would want to know everything about Harry's condition and she wasn't likely to believe anything they said about the Dark Lord. This would be a rather difficult thing to diagnose anyway. If Harry was within his mind he would need to get around any obstacles that had been left behind. The process would be highly delicate and highly dangerous for them both. Yet he had no other choice. Severus needed to protect the boy from anything that came his way. The oath would hold him to it.

"Very well, I will be there momentarily."

x-x-x-x-x

Seeing Harry on that bed made Severus nauseous. The only colour showing on him was the inky blackness of his hair. Everything else was as pale as the sheets he lay beneath. Harry only moved to breathe and Severus thanked Merlin that there was at least a sign of life within the boy. If there hadn't been any signs of life they would be facing even greater problems.

"Is this how he was found?" Severus asked, going straight into teacher mode.

This was the only way to separate himself from Harry's current problem. He always acted this way when faced with Harry Potter or anything otherwise related otherwise he wouldn't be able to handle the situation. As it was, the current situation was rather dire and he was having a troublesome time keeping his mind straight.

Ron nodded but Severus gave a harsh glare to gather more information.

"Harry has a habit of wandering off late at night. No one can catch him at it so most have stopped trying and no one knows where he goes. They don't ask either. It's obvious when he leaves he needs to think and he can't do that around other people, not even his friends. "

That last sentence was said rather bitterly. Severus understood immediately that Ron was put out because Harry had begun to distance himself from both him and Hermione. But what had he expected? The brat had been keeping certain things from Harry as well and if Harry was to discover this then he would be furious. He'd be furious that his two closest friends had done this to him. Truly there would be no returning from there.

Severus gave a glare that screamed continue or else…

"He always returns at the same time looking more relieved than I have ever seen him. It's almost like he's been talking to someone that no one else can see but that person does more to help him than anyone. Harry returns after curfew but not after midnight. Yet when he didn't return I knew that something had changed, something had gone wrong. I went to his trunk and located the Marauder's Map. When I saw him in the Astronomy Tower I was scared he was planning on jumping or something so I ran up there and instead found him collapsed on the floor." Ron explained.

Though Severus was tempted to ask about this Marauder's Map, he had other things he needed to deal with.

"He spoke not a word to you when you called him?" Severus enquired.

Ron shook his head. "No, he didn't move. He only breathed like he'd been knocked unconscious. I brought him straight here and there hasn't been any change."

Severus turned towards Harry. The boy looked so sickly lying in that bed. Whatever had occurred to him had happened through an outside source and he was beginning to suspect who was behind it.

"That will be all Mr Weasley." He dismissed.

The boy wanted to argue but Poppy ushered him out leaving Severus with Harry and Minerva.

"What do you think?" she enquired.

"He is definitely trapped within his mind if he won't respond to any outside influence. Whether by force or self-interest I would need to check by entering his mind."

Minerva didn't even bother with telling him about the laws against entering a minor's mind without permission. She was desperate to get a response out of Harry in any way possible.

"Do what you must, Severus."

With Poppy and Minerva behind him, he entered Harry Potter's mind.

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><p><strong>This is just a chapter to capture interest. If you want me to continue this story soon then you'll have to vote for it in the poll on my profile page. The other stories will also have chapters posted to capture interest so if you want more of this vote.<strong>

**~MidnightEmber**


	2. Chapter 2

**~ Chapter Two ~**

Diving into Harry's mind was a difficult task. The boy's defenceless mind appeared as a shade of black. The inky depths held no warmth or light. Severus had nothing to guide him through the swirls of thought or the tug of memory. The area simply allowed him to drift through the mind conscious yet not together. This was worrying.

The mind, even for an Occlumens, was a difficult place to manoeuvre. There were many places people kept hidden memories or emotions. Walls were so high with feelings they choked the area. Some people had a mind like a maze while others had paved streets, lights on each corner. One simply never knew what to expect upon entering and they had to be prepared for everything. Yet Harry's mind held none of this structure.

The darkness consumed all. Severus was left to drift until something caught him and reeled him in. A thought, a memory, anything would do really. All he needed was something to grasp. If he couldn't find anything after a while then he would know, Harry Potter was no longer in control. A Master Occlumens would have infested Harry's mind and left him in this state for an ulterior purpose that Severus would need to figure out.

As he drifted waiting for something to show, Severus fell back to his own thoughts. Harry didn't deserve this kind of treatment. Not after everything he'd been through. And yet he knew that once Harry was back on his feet he would be expected to play the good little Gryffindor that he sorely wasn't. Pressure would be placed upon is shoulders to become a living James Potter, to do great deeds that should have been placed on an adult, namely Dumbledore. Harry would be forced to defeat the Dark Lord when truly it wasn't his job to live up to his father's heroic standards.

Severus felt a tug after that thought. Relief flooded him. Harry's mind was finally dragging him in to something and that meant in some form Harry was in control though aided by another Occlumens. Certainly having two people in one mind was a worrying fact however he was simply glad Harry was responding. He would deal with the other person later.

The darkness rushed passed him as he was dragged into Harry's mind. There was something familiar about the other presence within Harry's mind. However he pushed the thought away for now. In the distance a light fast approached. Knowing it was a memory, Severus braced himself, preparing for the sudden impact of the memory he was about to enter.

When everything became clear, Severus relaxed, reassured that the presence of the memory was a step closer to Harry. From here all he needed to do was follow the path and his student would be at the end. Yet he would need to witness every memory between here and the end which was something he wasn't looking forward to. There Occlumency lessons hadn't panned out too well though that was mostly his fault. Severus wasn't the most patient and accepting of teachers. Yet there was nothing for it. He would need to witness this.

The memory quite honestly was something that shocked Severus to the very core making him wish Albus were present instead. At least he would have been prepared to deal with this type of sudden revelation. He might have been coming around to the idea that Harry's life was beyond what he'd imagined but this shattered it entirely.

He was standing in the middle of a muggle kitchen. The various gadgets surrounding him were vaguely familiar from his childhood. To be honest he hadn't spent much time around muggle appliances since he'd started teaching. There hadn't been any need for it. As it was, many of them brought back faded memories he'd rather kept forgotten.

The Dursley household was exactly as he had expected. The walls were pale and everything appeared very crisp with a specific place of its own and not a piece out of place. Yet the entire collection of patterns made the room garish like looking at the Headmaster's robes. However it was the sight of Tuney that caused the most shock.

She hadn't changed a single bit. Her appearance was older; lines wrinkled her face from what Severus instinctively knew was jealousy. Her tall stature hadn't diminished at all and she remained as bone-like as always. If anything her rather horse-face features were emphasised by the fact she chose to keep her hair short. Narrowed eyes wielded a certain distain for the person before her, a pair of scissors in her hand. Harry was her intended target or more importantly his hair.

Severus stepped towards them. To him it appeared as if Petunia was shaving the boy's hair off. Chunks were chopped off so randomly he knew she hadn't attempted this before. Places were left bald while others remained with little tufts. There was hardly any effort placed into this job at all.

Severus stood corrected as Petunia finished giving a very satisfied nod.

"There now you don't have to look like that nasty Potter. You're just like him."

The first thing he noticed was Harry's displeasure. Yet he hadn't seen his appearance yet and he would be displeased about it. No, the boy was displeased about being called for his father. At this age it should have been a compliment though loath he was to admit it. The child should have beamed up at his Aunt or at least given a cheeky grin. He did neither.

Instead he sat staring at the ground as if hoping it would open and swallow him whole. Harry as a child was entirely too serious and depressed. Nothing in his appearance screamed of a happy childhood especially the clothes that swallowed his stature. They were obviously meant for a child twice Harry's size, the well-worn look made it easy to decipher they were second hand.

Harry didn't look like a part of the family. He looked exactly like he was… an orphan.

Petunia walked out of the room instructing the child to sweep up his hair which he did immediately. The child obeyed with such swiftness Severus knew he had been punished before for not doing so. It was a rather pitiful sight as the tall handle of the broom swished back and forth over the child's head.

"I didn't know him."

The whisper broke something within Severus.

"No, you didn't."

Darkness consumed the memory sweeping him off again. Severus blinked not entirely certain what to do in that moment. Certainly, it was a wakeup call to just how much he had underestimated Harry's home life even before he'd begun noticing Harry despised life. However this knowledge… what was he meant to do with it?

He was being gifted (for what other word was there?) with knowledge of Harry's life, an insight into who Harry truly was. There would only be more to come yet it appeared as if Harry was revealing this for a reason. A pattern would emerge the more he witnessed. Determination surged through him. He would figure out what Harry needed.

Another memory sped towards him; Severus closed his eyes as the darkness receded, permitting light into the mind.

This scene was familiar. It was the very first potions class he'd taught Harry. As he could remember he'd been remarkably cruel towards Harry that day. He didn't pay any attention as his image snarled in a hostile manner towards the young boy who'd been doodling in his notebook.

The instant he'd spotted another Potter ignoring a teacher to instead draw in their books he'd snapped. He'd lashed out and honestly hadn't cared if he'd hurt the boy's feelings. He'd merely seen another Potter.

Stepping forward he continued to tune out the words around him. They meant very little now. No, the only thing that mattered was the Harry. After all that was the singular reason he was present. What had Harry been doing during this time? What had he deemed more important than paying attention in the first day of class?

Drawing near, Severus noticed Harry was shaking. The poor boy was absolutely horrified that he'd been caught not paying any attention. The look hadn't even been recognized by him at the time. Severus hadn't seen what he wanted to see and that was that. Harry on the other hand could see only the anger within his professor's eyes. Even he cringed from it on the opposite end.

Looking at Harry's book Severus' stomach sank. Instead of the drawings he'd hoped to see, Harry had written down every single word he'd been speaking. Nothing had been missed. Though the writing wasn't the neatest he'd ever seen he could still make out the words he'd spoken that day. Severus felt his heart shatter all the more.

"I didn't… I didn't realize…" he stuttered.

The memory faded once again.

He floated in the darkness for a length of time searching for anything that dispelled how cruel he'd been to the eager child. Yet it was all for naught. He had never been nice to the child even when saving his life. He'd told Dumbledore that his connection to the child's parents, and any connection he had to the child, would never know the light of day. Yet it seemed to have done more harm than good at this stage in the teen's life. How was one meant to repair that?

Another memory floated past, this time not dragging him near enough to fall in but just close enough to see what was occurring for a short time.

Arthur Weasley and Harry stood before the train, smoke billowing around them though Severus was unsure of whether it truly was the train or the simply the memory.

"Why would I want to go and find someone who wanted to kill me?" Harry questioned.

Severus could see it though, as Harry could as well. Arthur thought Harry would act like James. He had believed Harry would rush out and attempted to stop the madman before he could locate his target. Arthur and those close to him believed Harry would want to kill or even catch Sirius Black. However Severus knew Harry would never do that.

Harry wanted a normal life. Harry wanted nothing to do with people who continued to pull him into situations that caused trouble. Regardless however the people he couldn't help but be surrounded by were the same that continued to push him into harms' way. There was nothing for it. Harry couldn't escape that not when he was in Dumbledore's grasp.

Another memory drew close and another, until all Severus could hear were sentences about Harry.

"He was a great man, your father."

"Harry will be just like his father. Wait and see, he's already such a good Quidditch player."

"Defence Against the Dark Arts is his best subject. No doubt, Harry will be an excellent Auror just like his father."

"Always looking for trouble, that one, just like his father."

"Don't worry about anything, Harry. You'll do great… just like your father."

The words were stifling within the mind. Severus could barely stand them and he despised the man. He couldn't even begin to imagine how Harry felt. The boy always being compared to his father, it certainly wasn't how one should be raised. Yet that wasn't even the worst part. Harry, as he'd come to realize, was nothing like his father.

"You're nothing like your father." Severus admitted aloud.

It was rather feeble and pointless to be discovering this now. After all, this was the sole reason Harry had locked himself in his mind. Harry didn't want to be compared to his father and since everyone was doing it especially the Order who had met Harry only a few times, he despised it more.

He should have seen it earlier, should have recognized the signs. Yet this emotional abuse everyone kept topping onto Harry wasn't something he usually picked up on. Most students he discovered with abuse had physical signs that led to psychological signs. Harry was the other way around. His psychological abuse had stemmed into physical pain.

He should have continued the Occlumency lessons. Perhaps then he would have been able to find a sliver of this in what Harry thought. Severus would have been able to aid him. Instead he'd allowed his personal hate and worries over his own self to blind him into rage. He was a teacher. He should have known better than that. He should have discovered it sooner.

"You're nothing like your father." Severus repeated firmly.

"You figured it out."

Severus turned swiftly. Finally he was standing before the real Harry Potter. The teen didn't look to have come under any harm which relieved Severus. If the person helping Harry to orchestrate this had harmed the child, he would have fought the person tooth and nail to get Harry back. At this stage he was willing to do anything to keep Harry safe. However after the revelation and evidence, Severus wasn't quite sure how to breach the subject.

In fact he wasn't quite sure how to even speak to Harry any more. He'd spent so long attempting to bring the boy down and humble him that he realize he hadn't spoken one encouraging word to him. Shame filled him. This journey was just as personal for Harry as it was for him. This event would change their lives for as long as they lived.

Before he could utter a word the scenery changed. This was nothing like before. He wasn't going to another memory to view Harry's horrible past. The memoires flew by without any words or images being shown. They were nothing more than blurry strips whizzing by. Severus couldn't help but desire to know if more moments in Harry's life were as painful as the ones he'd witnessed. However he wasn't present for that. He merely needed to help Harry so his eyes remained on the teen.

Harry stood calmly before him obviously having gone through this before. Someone else had dragged Harry into the depths of his mind and hadn't released him until Severus had entered and found the truth. That at least showed Severus the pair were working together. Whoever was helping Harry had his permission.

Severus felt shaky. This could only be the work of a powerful Legillimens. No one else would have had the ability to do so. Occlumens could enter the mind by merging two shields but Legillimens were the only ones who could control or direct another human's mind. The list was narrowed down spectacularly.

When they reached the end and a room came into view, Severus frowned. Harry didn't have a room which meant this belonged to someone else. It baffled him because this shouldn't have been possible. A room was personal and couldn't be copied into another's mind. Whatever was going on here was certainly beyond his knowledge.

"Severus, welcome,"

He froze knowing that voice even in the mind. Eyes slid shut as he desperately tried to imagine it was another person. Anyone else would have been preferable and yet he knew he was deluding himself. Besides he hadn't come this far for Harry only to turn away. Turning, his eyes revealed the horror surfacing within him. The Dark Lord stood before him, Harry in his arms.

"I do not expect you to understand Severus." The man spoke.

Severus remained silent allowing his master to speak. Instead he chose to study Harry. The arms wrapped around Harry's waist weren't loving. With arms as paper thin as the Dark Lord's they could be anything other than loving. Yet they were caring. They were providing something to Harry he couldn't find from someone else. The reality of it hit him hard.

"You might understand why Harry chose to seal himself within his mind but I will not explain why I am the one to aid him in doing so. For that you will have to wait."

The Dark Lord was protecting Harry from Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. Why was the Dark Lord protecting the child meant to destroy him? There was a piece from this puzzle he still didn't have. Severus had believed that finding Harry would be the end to everything. In fact it was just the beginning to this intricate puzzle and he had a lot to catch up on.

"I should inform you that I know about your little deal with Dumbledore. You want to keep Harry alive and healthy." The Dark Lord smirked. "You won't be able to do that if you leave Harry in the hands of that old man."

"Why?" he struggled to say.

His voice wouldn't cooperate with him and yet the longer the Dark Lord spoke for the stronger it became. For some unknown reason, the Dark Lord wasn't going to punish him for speaking up. He wasn't going to punish him for attempting to save Harry. This situation only became more and more strange.

"That I'm afraid is for another time. It ties in with how I managed to aid young Harry here and why I granted my services to him."

The explanation was far from useful however it did provide Severus with a few clues. The Dark Lord and Harry's connection went further and deeper than just sharing a few visions. Harry, connected to the Dark Lord, wasn't a target but a piece to be protected. The Dark Lord wanted Harry for some reason. Severus straightened, voice returning.

"What do I do from here?"

The Dark Lord smirked. "What do you mean?"

"You're obviously not going to let him go yet."

A hissing laughter echoed around the room.

"No, I'm not. I don't trust our dear Headmaster with Harry's safety, especially not this year, what with my attempts at obtaining the prophecy and his avoidance of the matter. There are other matters, future matters that also need to be dealt with."

With this spoken, the Dark Lord tugged Harry closed who turned into the man's side a little. The last sentence held significance then. To what purpose Severus couldn't tell but it was there. He would need to be patient for the answer.

"What do you desire from me, my Lord?" he asked again, using the Lord's title.

This pleased the Dark Lord greatly and Severus knew he'd spoken correctly.

"Before I release Harry from this mind hold, I want you to bring him to me."

Severus frowned. Did he actually mean…

"You want me to physically bring you Harry Potter."

The smile was hardly reassuring.

"As well as all of his belongings and one other item of importance I wish you to retrieve."

Something about the words struck within Severus. This wasn't going to be a small thing. This favour wouldn't be easily swept under the rug or hidden from the Order's sight. He wouldn't be able to keep anyone from noticing Harry Potter was gone. He wouldn't be able to hide the fact that his belongings had disappeared either. Instead of questioning the Dark Lord further, he turned to Harry.

"Is this what you desire?"

Harry didn't pull away from the Dark Lord. Instead he leant into the man further as arms wrapped securely around him. The pair gave off the appearance of a lion protecting her cub. Harry was content as he spoke.

"Professor, I don't want to be here any longer. I'm tired of all the lies and secrets not only from the professors but between the students. Ron and Hermione are hiding the fact they are in the Order. They are hiding the fact that everything I do is reported to Dumbledore. None of the professors, including you, will stop the terror that is forming within these walls. I'm tired of Umbridge keeping a secure hold on me and I'm tired of everyone ranting about my father. I want to be as far from Hogwarts and the Order as I can be."

He spoke with conviction though the tone in his voice didn't rise. Harry spoke with all the weariness of a well-travelled man wanting nothing more than to return home. If Severus didn't do something Harry wouldn't survive. He would burn out. Severus made his decision.

"Very well then, you should know however I will no longer be able to retain my position at Hogwarts should I choose to do this."

He knew very well that Dumbledore would persecute him for it. All over Britain he would be the most wanted man under the Dark Lord. After all no one steals the Light's saviour from the Leader himself.

The Dark Lord however only had a reassuring word. "Everything shall be fine, Severus. You won't need to worry about taking care of yourself in that regard. Instead you shall remain here with Harry and me. All your work can be done within my walls."

The gesture wasn't lost on Severus. The man was opening his doors to one of his servants. Never had he done this after his first Inner Circle had passed. None had the audacity to ask for it either. In this moment Severus understood how desperate the Dark Lord was to move Harry away from Dumbledore.

Severus agreed. He wanted to speak with Harry for much longer, to tell him so many things, but didn't know how long he'd been wandering the mind. It could have been minutes it could have been days. Time didn't work at all within the mind. However if he did what the Dark Lord desired, he would have as much time to spend with Harry as the Dark Lord deigned especially considering he was granting Severus a way out as well.

"I will have Harry Potter delivered to you as soon as possible. Now what else did you require from Hogwarts?"

The Dark Lord smiled, the imagery burning into his mind. However it was Harry's content sigh that would echo within him the most.

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><p><strong>This story will be rather short. I'm aiming it to be about the same length as With You. I hope you enjoyed the next chapter.<strong>

**~MidnightEmber**


	3. Chapter 3

**~ Chapter Three ~**

Severus Snape was a tortured man. As a child, his father's abusive habit left Severus with much rage in his mind and a hatred for those who believed power excused their behaviour. This belief became further enforced by the Marauders who targeted those they believed weak and all because they held popular pull. To combat this he'd chosen to follow the Dark Lord.

The Dark Lord helped those who didn't have power. He aided them to boost confidence by allowing them to find areas in which they truly excelled. Potions held his interest as did the mind arts. These made him perfect for his position as Potions Master. But then he'd stumbled upon the prophecy and everything had become complicated. He'd begged and pleaded yet the Dark Lord had killed Lily Potter. The information Severus provided had killed the single person to truly care about his wellbeing.

Then he'd started his spying; all of his choices eventually leading to this moment.

Early morning light filtered through the windows of the Hospital Wing. Sitting alone by Harry's bedside, Severus couldn't help but stare down at the child he'd promised to protect. Harry's prone body moved only for the rise and fall as he breathed. At rest, Harry looked peaceful. Severus could almost imagine Harry was simply relaxing after a comfortable day relaxing. There was no Dark Lord to worry over or Dumbledore to obey.

Yet he couldn't remain for long.

Severus had been lucky with his timing. Minerva and Poppy had left him to aid Harry, not stopping to question any motive he would gain from the experience. They wouldn't return until Severus sought them out with a diagnosis leaving plenty of time for him to achieve his task.

Brushing the hair from Harry's head, Severus reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a vial. The gold potion gleamed in the morning light. Opening the vial, Severus swallowed a mouthful and waited for the potion to take effect. Felix Felicis flowed through him granting him luck as he prepared to do the impossible.

With one last glance at Harry's sleeping form Severus swept from the Hospital Wing and into the corridors of Hogwarts.

At dawn not many people would be awake. Using this to his advantage, Severus moved through the corridors taking care to watch the portraits as they slept. Many of the students often wondered whether or not the portraits offered Hogwarts any defence. Truthfully, they only aided the Headmaster in watching the students. As a large castle the portraits offered an easy way of locating any student lost within the walls. Many of these lost students happened to be first years eager to explore the medieval castle. But recently they'd been handed other jobs.

Albus Dumbledore misused this power focusing all efforts to be guided towards Harry Potter and his entourage. Every move the group made the Headmaster became aware of. Every move against Harry Potter was also noted. However, what truly disturbed Severus was the effort taken to keep other students away from Harry as much as possible.

Dumbledore allowed certain people access to Potter but when others became involved everything was tightened. Weasley and Granger were often told to speak with these individuals and persuade them Harry desired not to be approached by people he wasn't familiar with. This was meant to keep Harry amongst people he trusted and yet the same stance had aided in pushing Harry further from the Order. Harry was kept isolated pushing him further from the people attempting to protect him.

Currently, Severus couldn't count the number of people on one hand who were actually providing Harry with what he wanted rather than what he needed to survive. Lupin and Black only looked at Harry and saw remnants of James. They couldn't look past the messy hair to see his mother's green eyes or smile. They ignored everything that made Harry his own person in favour for living in the past. Not many members of the Order did any better. They still saw the goofy yet brave trickster that roamed the halls of Hogwarts with his gang of Marauders.

Those that didn't see James Potter only chose to see Harry as the Boy-Who-Lived, saviour of the Wizarding World. Their mounting expectations couldn't keep even the saintliest of people sane. While all of them plotted away Harry stole time to himself where he hoped to live a normal life. That was no way for a fifteen year old boy to live. Severus would even bet James and Lily would not have approved of the Order's treatment; one of the main factors for his decision to help Harry.

Loathe he was to admit it, James and Lily had both shaped the man Severus had become. James had stirred every bit of hatred within his mind. He had been a constant reminder of everything Severus could never hope to be. Potter held everyone's affection with a cheeky smile. He'd been a star on and off the Quidditch pitch. Wealth and blood purity he'd been born with in spades. There wasn't anything James Potter found himself wanting that he couldn't achieve. Then there was Lily.

Lily had been his friend for the longest time imaginable. Her friendship had meant the world to him even if she had been a muggleborn and a Gryffindor. None of these labels had mattered to her leaving Severus within her circle of friends even throughout Hogwarts. Then James and that terrible moment of humiliation had occurred and everything fell apart. Severus' life had spiralled downhill to stop at the Dark Lord's feet. He'd never attempted to make his decisions work until now.

Reaching his personal quarters Severus swept through the portrait after it recognized who approached and called for house elf. The elf that arrived to do his bidding caused Severus to scowl. Dobby had been a menace when he worked for the Malfoy's something which hadn't changed at all considering the stories the Order told about the elf. However the elf in this case would prove useful as the loyalty it had forged with Harry left it often disobeying orders to aid the boy.

"You will travel to Gryffindor Tower and collect all of Harry Potter's belongings. If there are any belongings missing then you shall collect them as well and return with them here. Do not speak of this to anyone you pass."

Severus worded the order with care to mention anything of Harry's that might have been missing. The habit the Weasley boy showcased with borrowing this map of Harry's only left doubts within his mind that Dumbledore allowed for a greater deal of leniency with Granger and Weasley than he had first thought. He wasn't about to leave any of Harry's belongings within Order hands especially with some of these objects being rather valuable.

"Dobby's is understandings sirs. Dobby's is doing as ordered."

With the elf gone, Severus turned to his own possessions. Books lined a single wall by the fireplace and a lone chair. They held the only personal touches to the room. The coffee table had been borrowed from another room and the rug beneath it found in a room with nothing but rugs. Neither held any appeal to him other than practicality. No photos hung on the wall. There was a pendant of the Slytherin banner stretched across a wall for a show of support. With a flicker of self-pity Severus sent his books flying into the bedroom into a trunk which hadn't even been unpacked. The trunk floated into place by the door waiting to be shrunk.

Dobby appeared seconds later placing Harry's trunk beside his own, both trunks looking out of place in the bland room. Upon completing his task the house elf turned wide eyes towards Severus. Sensing a long questionnaire coming his way Severus merely waved him away. It did little to help.

"Why's is Harry Potter's belongings being brought heres?"

"I'm removing Mr Potter from the influence of those that wish him harm." Severus knew in this he couldn't lie. House elves might not have been smart but they could tell when they were being lied to.

The elf flapped his ears. Eyes narrowed dangerously upon Severus.

"Someones is plotting to harms Harry Potter?"

"Nothing will happen to Mr Potter as I will be removing him from this situation until it can be resolved. Until then listen carefully for information regarding anyone who seeks Mr Potter harm. Report to me should you find anything of importance to share with me."

The elf flapped its' ears, rocking back on its' heels in eagerness to aid Harry Potter. Spouting promises of acceptance of the task the elf fled back to the kitchens likely preparing for the task and events should it happen to find anyone seeking harm to the great Harry Potter. Having the elf focused on a task ceased any further questions it might have in regards to who might be seeking harm against Harry. Once it hears of the people who want to harm Harry Potter, Severus knew more questions would be imminent but by then they would be safely tucked away within the Dark Lord's manor.

Severus shrunk the trunks and tucked them into one of his inner pockets. Now all that was left was the item he needed to gather for the Dark Lord. He didn't need to collect potions ingredients from the stores at Hogwarts as anything stored here could easily be obtained and anything considered illegal could be acquired for the right price. Though there was the draw of phoenix feathers and basilisk remains beneath the castle that held nothing to keeping Harry safe any longer. The fact the Dark Lord offered both aided to solve the dilemma.

Travelling through the hallways started becoming difficult. Through the hallways portraits were beginning to stir as the sunlight broke across the skyline. There would be no leaving Hogwarts with Harry in his arms without alerting at least one of them. Until then however he would need to quicken his pace to at least beat the morning students.

The seventh floor felt much further away than Severus knew. Using the passageways which kept him far from the staircases, Severus made time and stood before the painting to which he'd been described. With little confidence, Severus turned and paced three times before the painting thinking of a single phrase. A door appeared on the third pass which had Severus lunging forward to be rid of the stupidity of the gesture. He certainly didn't expect the contents of the room inside.

Mountains of items were stacked haphazardly around the room. Every turn held a pile of miscellaneous objects. There dozens of school robes varying between house, size, and gender. Piles of shoes were gathered in a corner yet Severus was willing to bet no one would find a matching pair. Chairs, tables, scales, animal cages, and even a set of cutlery were all accumulated within the room. The room must have held a collection of missing items from the duration of the history of Hogwarts. Since house elves didn't return objects unless they were clearly labelled, they must have been dropped in this singular location, a room for the lost items.

Severus marvelled at the idea of what could be found within this room. The treasures held endless possibilities. After all, the Dark Lord had seen it as a viable place for one of the numerous precious objects he'd collected over his lifetime. The time however wouldn't permit him to search this location. He needed to be swift and decisive. Once the war was over, once the Dark Lord held a greater power amongst the Ministry, then he would be able to once again return and sift through the treasures of the room.

Sitting amongst a lazy pile of items, Severus found what the Dark Lord had instructed him to acquire. It looked to be seemingly harmless. A diadem sat within the confines of a padded box made for the piece. It was old and gaudy, yet gleamed with magic. There was an overwhelming draw to it which he had been told to ignore otherwise he would fail his task. The lid snapped shut and secured the magic away.

Careful to make certain the box wouldn't open once again, Severus shrunk the object and added it to another of his inner pockets. He had a feeling that if he didn't take care of this object the Dark Lord would know and punish him in a way not even a traitor would receive. That done he turned and left the room mind focused on the last of his tasks.

By now many of the portraits could be heard speaking to one another. Severus scowled. This meant the students would be preparing for the day and the staff would already be making their way down to the hall. Several of the eager students would also be awake, minds turning over problems or reading through books not on their reading list.

Sweeping into the Infirmary, Severus didn't allow his pace to falter not even as Poppy Pomphrey bustled out of her office with a stern glare upon her aged face.

"Severus, where were you? Minerva and I left you last night hoping that when we woke Mr Potter would be at the very least awake and receptive. You can't leave him alone. Someone could have entered last night and attacked him!" Poppy's scolding tone did little to alleviate his frustration at the situation.

"No one will attack Mr Potter. You on the other hand…"

Poppy barely managed to open her mouth before Severus stunned her allowing her body to crumple where she stood. When their disappearance was finally noticed Poppy would be the only person who could pull together a few of the pieces of information Severus left behind. It wouldn't be enough to be certain as to why Severus and Harry were missing but Dumbledore wouldn't miss a thing.

Unceremoniously, Severus pulled the sheets from the bed and scooped Harry into his arms. He didn't dare look back at Poppy as he fled the Infirmary. Portraits startled as he sped by each exclaiming at his fierce look or the appearance he made carrying a body in his arms. They would later report he looked as if evil chased him from the corridors and safety of the castle. This would once again aid in Dumbledore accepting what had occurred.

The fresh morning air hit Severus and caused his lungs to burn. Cold seeped into his bones yet he couldn't be certain whether it was the frost or the feeling of being watched which caused such a reaction. Either way, he bundled Harry into the warmth of his body and followed the path past the gates of Hogwarts and into Hogsmede which wasn't protected by the anti-apparation wards. With a final look at Hogwarts and the acceptance of the path before him Severus disapparrated.

x-x-x-x-x

The Dark Lord's Manor held little in the way of aesthetics. A grey stone wall greeted Severus upon approach the only break in the solid foundation being the iron gate without hinges. Only a Death Eater could enter. The Dark Mark permitted entrance by allowing the bearer to pass through the gate and onto the property. If anyone else attempted this the gate sprung alive and impaled the person. Too many times Severus had watched as muggles thoughtlessly approached never to leave the property once they'd come too close.

The memory gave Severus pause. Harry wasn't marked by the Dark Lord with the same mark. There was the every present possibility that Harry would become yet another soul lost to the wall. However after all of the effort his Master had gone through to obtain Harry he held a certain degree of confidence that Harry's scar would act the same way as the Dark Mark. Within seconds Severus was proven correct as they both fazed through the gate and began the walk up the beaten path towards the manor.

Gardens overrun by lack of care accentuated the ominous looming of the manor. The cold grey stone walls darkened by the green foliage caused one to feel lacking as they approached. Severus knew this feature had been crafted not only as a defence in time of war but also to make their allies feel unworthy of the protection the manor offered. After all, if one felt unworthy in what they'd been given they would give more in an effort to balance the trade. Severus had thought to have been rid of this feeling long ago. However carrying Harry's body through the open doors Severus had never felt more inadequate of the Dark Lord's blessing.

The rat, who usually acted as a doorman, wasn't in sight. Severus felt glad of this. He didn't know what Harry thought of the man who betrayed his parents but he knew that Pettigrew fell apart at the first mention of the boy. There was a story there but no one had been able to get Pettigrew to repeat it. The Dark Lord obviously knew something of it but no one was insane enough to ask.

Instead of the rat Nagini slithered from the gardens and with a flick of her tongue Severus knew he should follow. He ignored the corridors blank of any portraits. He knew however that snakes engraved onto the décor of the cornice spoke any secrets worthy of the Dark Lord to Nagini. He didn't need portraits when he had the snakes.

The Dark Lord stood within one of his private rooms. Never before had one of his followers entered the private rooms with which the Dark Lord spent his time. Death Eaters knew better than to encroach on their master's personal space as a number of dark artefacts and rituals took place further within the manor. Any interruption due to a Death Eaters' negligence would be gifted with torture.

A fireplace crackled to life as Severus stepped through which Nagini slithered towards without delay. Once she was settled the Dark Lord turned towards his guests. Red eyes strayed from Severus' face towards the body he cradled with care. With a simple gesture, Harry's body was lifted away and placed onto the sofa before the warmth of the fireplace. Nagini didn't stir at the display.

Without Harry acting as a shield Severus couldn't deny the feeling of discomfort. The Dark Lord had needed Severus to obtain Harry and the diadem. Certainly the Dark Lord also marvelled at Severus' potions abilities. However now he was present Severus didn't feel as confident in his ability to be worthy. There was so much that Severus had confided to Dumbledore. The Dark Lord had no reason to trust Severus would want to remain here and not return to Dumbledore. Albus may have aided him in remaining out of Azkaban but the Dark Lord had saved his life.

There had been numerous times during his time at Hogwarts that Severus had felt like giving up. His school life was terrible what with the various bullying from the Marauders and little support from the teaching staff. His home life wasn't much better. His father had been abusive to both him and his mother. While his mother, she tried, but it wasn't enough and she'd died leaving him with his father. The Dark Lord had given him purpose but so much information had been misheard during the height of the first war that Severus had faltered.

Standing here now, Severus prepared for all of his choices to crash down.

"There are many things we should speak about Severus." The Dark Lord spoke gesturing towards another sofa.

Tense, Severus chose to sit as close to Harry as possible. The teen didn't stir as the adults faced each other. Severus wished that the Dark Lord would simply release Harry so could know he had made the correct decision. He needed to know that regardless of what happened to him that Harry would be happy and healthy by the Dark Lord's side. Instead he chose to remain quiet and wait for the Dark Lord to ask him a direct question.

"You have not been a loyal member of my following for many years Severus. Not only did you desert our faith but you betrayed my secrets to the one man who has the power to obliterate my plans. Yet you drop everything to keep Harry Potter safe. You don't ask any questions of me but you listen to a child Albus Dumbledore holds on a pedestal."

The Dark Lord hadn't asked any questions. He didn't need to.

"I defected to Albus Dumbledore when it became apparent you were targeting Harry Potter." Severus began not looking away from Harry's silent form. "Though it had been many years since I had spoken to Lily she remained one of the few people to befriend me and remain by my side for a number of years. So when it became apparent you believed her child was who the prophecy spoke of I ran to Albus Dumbledore."

Severus had not been proud in that moment. He'd wanted to protect Lily but to accomplish that he'd needed to turn to the one person who failed him the most when the Marauders had attempted to have Lupin attack and turn him. They hadn't been punished which pushed Severus further away and yet he'd grovelled to have the same man who had planned it all safe and sound for Lily.

"What deal did you make with the man?"

"I asked him to protect her, to protect all of them, in exchange for the information I would give him. I chose to spy within the Death Eater ranks to keep her safe and alive."

"Dumbledore wasn't able to keep that promise however and Lily Potter died protecting young Harry."

The Dark Lord's tone caused Severus to flinch towards his wand. His master didn't move apart from a sinister smile and a glance towards Nagini as she moved away from the fireplace and slithered out the door. A few tense moments passed before Severus relaxed enough to continue speaking.

"I confronted him a few days after her death when all of the Death Eaters were being rounded up. In exchange for keeping me out of Azkaban he made me take an oath. I vowed to protect Harry Potter from any enemies that may present."

"Those were the exact words?" The Dark Lord questioned sharply.

Severus nodded. "Dumbledore wanted to make sure I would protect Harry Potter regardless of the enemy before him. As such, I would protect Harry even when I didn't know who the enemy was presenting as."

Silence settled over them, only broken by the crackling of the fire. Severus watched as Harry breathed deeply still gone from the world. The Dark Lord had yet to begin punishing Severus for his betrayals. They had spoken calmly and directly which seemed out of character for the both of them, ever used to keeping their thoughts and emotions beneath several masks. And yet they were both sitting here because of one child. Harry Potter brought out the best in many people and it seemed they weren't excluded.

Turning away from Harry, Severus straightened to look directly at his master.

"I failed in my servitude to you when I ran to Dumbledore. I betrayed Dumbledore when I brought Harry to your manor. Logically there is no reason for you to trust I am loyal to either you or Dumbledore. However the one thing you can trust is my dedication to protect Harry. Nothing will stop me from protecting him. As always Harry comes before any loyalties I offer. All I can do is ask that Harry not know of what you plan to do to me as punishment for my desertion."

The Dark Lord eyed Severus for several minutes.

"You shall not be punished Severus. When we met within Harry's mind my offer was genuine because it was Harry who originally offered it. You have left Dumbledore behind as he is set to harm Harry where I no longer pose a threat, as such, your talents as a Potions Master shall be mine once again. I believe Harry would enjoy learning the art whilst you are more receptive to teaching him."

Severus turned towards Harry's sleeping form.

"I would be happy to teach him."

Being able to teach Harry would mean more time to spend getting to know the real Harry Potter. He wouldn't mess up this opportunity. He wouldn't let down the one person in his life he'd dedicate to protecting. If nothing else Harry Potter would be happy even if that included the Dark Lord.

"It's decided then. You shall find your place once again Severus and Harry shall live."

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed this update.<strong>

**~MidnightEmber**


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